Wedge system with friction isolation plates

ABSTRACT

The system includes receivers and wedges. Each receiver has a base and a perpendicularly-extending hook having an aperture. Each hook is disposed as a spacer between a pair of tiles in an array laid in bedding, to provide for side-by-side tile spacing. The base is disposed beneath the pair. Each wedge has a clamping surface and a ribbed gripping surface orientated angularly thereto. Each wedge extends through the aperture such that: the pair is captured between the base and wedge, with the clamping surface disposed in coplanar relation to the pair; the gripping surface grips the receiver, to resist wedge withdrawal and maintain the clamped engagement until the bedding has cured. The gripping surface width is less than the wedge width. The hook has a wall that defines one edge of aperture, is opposite to and presents towards the planar element in perpendicular relation. The wall fits between the ribs.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of tile.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to use wedge systems to facilitate the installation of tile.

A known wedge system involves wedges and wedge receivers. Each wedge hasa planar surface and a gripping surface orientated in angular relationto one another to meet in an end. The gripping surface has a pluralityof arcuate ribs. Each wedge receiver has a generally planar base elementand a hook element extending from the base element in substantiallyperpendicular relation. The hook element has an aperture definedtherein. In use, tiles are laid in a generally conventional manner. Thehook elements are used to space apart the tiles, with the base elementsembedded or laid upon the mortar, adhesive or thin set bedding material.Each wedge element is inserted through a respective aperture and pushedforward in the direction of the end such that the tiles are capturedbetween the base elements of the wedge receivers and the planar surfacesof the wedges; this causes the tiles to align. The ribbed surface of thewedge receiver provides for a tight and reliable grip. After the beddingmaterial has set, the wedges are removed, the hook elements areseparated from the base elements by a mallet and the tiles are groutedin a conventional manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Forming one aspect of the invention is an improved wedge system of thetype used with tiles and a bedding material such as mortar or adhesivefor creating a tiled surface having an array of the tiles arranged insubstantially coplanar side-by-side evenly spaced relation.

The wedge system is of the type including:

-   -   wedge receivers, each having a substantially planar base element        and a hook element extending from the base element in        substantially perpendicular relation: the hook element having an        aperture defined therein, each hook element, in use, being        disposed in the manner of a tile spacer between a pair of        adjacent tiles in an array of the tiles laid in the bedding        material, thereby to provide for said substantially even        side-by-side spacing of the tiles and the base element, in use,        being disposed beneath the pair of adjacent tiles; and    -   wedges, each having a clamping surface and a ribbed gripping        surface orientated in angular relation to one another, each        wedge, in use, extending through the aperture of a respective        receiver such that:        -   the pair of adjacent tiles are captured between the base            element and the wedge, with the clamping surface of the            wedge disposed in coplanar relation to the pair of adjacent            tiles; and        -   the gripping surface grips the respective wedge receiver, to            resist withdrawal of the wedge from the aperture and            maintain the clamped engagement until the bedding material            has cured,

The improvement comprises:

-   -   the gripping surface of the wedge having a width less than the        width of the wedge; and    -   the hook element having a wall that defines one edge of the        aperture and is disposed opposite to and presents towards the        base element in perpendicular relation, the wall being sized to        fit between the ribs.

According to another aspect, the ribs can be arcuate.

According to another aspect, the wall can taper in width as it extendsaway from the planar portion.

According to another aspect, the wedge, when sectioned perpendicular tothe clamping surface, has a profile which terminates in a portion thathas the shape of the wall.

According to another aspect, the system can further comprise sliderplates, each slider plate being planar and having a slot adapted topermit through passage of a hook.

Advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention willbecome apparent to persons of ordinary skill upon review of thefollowing detailed description with reference to the appended figures,the latter being briefly described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1A is a view of the components of a wedge system according to anexample embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1B is another view of the components of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is another view of the components of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1D is another view of the components of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1E is another view of the components of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of encircled area 2 of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of encircled area 3 of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of encircled area 4 of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 5 is a view of a mortar bed;

FIG. 6 is a view of a tile laid upon the mortar bed of FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 7 is a view of the structure of FIG. 6 , with a plurality of thestructures of FIG. 2 deployed therewith;

FIG. 8 is a view of the structure of FIG. 7 with a further four tileslaid in the mortar bed;

FIG. 9 is a view of the structure of FIG. 8 , with a plurality of thestructures of FIG. 4 deployed therewith;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of encircled area 10 of FIG. 9 ;

FIG. 11 is a view of the structure of FIG. 10 with the structure of FIG.3 positioned for use therewith;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11 with the structure of FIG. 3extending through the structure of FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 12A is an enlarged view of encircled area 12A of FIG. 12 ;

FIG. 12B is a side view of the structure of FIG. 12A;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to 12 with the structure of FIG. 3 extendingthrough the structure of FIG. 2 more fully than as shown in FIG. 12 ;

FIG. 13A is an enlarged view of encircled area 13A of FIG. 13 ; and

FIG. 13B is a side view of the structure of FIG. 13A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The components 20 of an improved wedge system are shown in FIG. 1A to 1Eand will be seen to include wedge receivers 22, wedges 24 and sliderplates 26.

With reference to FIG. 2 , the wedge receivers 22 each have a baseelement 28 and a hook element 30.

The base element 28 is generally hourglass-shaped in plan [as shown inFIG. 1A], terminating in a plurality of feet 32, and is generallyplanar. However, when viewed in profile, as indicated in FIG. 1D, itwill be seen that the base element 28 is generally thickest along acenterline C-C and generally tapers as it extends away therefrom, butfor a ridge 34 defined by each foot 32.

The hook element 30 extends from the centerline of the base element,includes a pair of legs 36, a bridge 38 and a wall 40 and defines anaperture 42.

The legs 36 have generally coplanar portions 44 and meet the base 28 inwaisted portions 46.

The bridge 38 rigidly connects the legs 36.

The wall 40 is resilient, defines one edge of the aperture 42 and isdisposed opposite to and presents towards the base element 28 inperpendicular relation. The wall 40 tapers in width as it extends awayfrom the base element 28 and has a thickness.

With reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 1B, the wedges 24 will be understoodto each have:

-   -   a clamping surface 48 (not shown, but understood to be the        underside)    -   a gripping surface 49 orientated in angular relation to the        clamping surface 48 to meet in an end 50;    -   opposite the end 50, a base 52;    -   a pair of sides 54 projecting in perpendicular relation to the        clamping surface 48 and in parallel relation to one another; and    -   chamfers 56 flanking the gripping surface 49, each extending        from the gripping surface 49 to a respective side 54.

The clamping surface 48 is planar.

The gripping surface 49 has a width W1 less than the width W2 of thewedge and is defined by a plurality of arcuate ribs 58 spaced apart byabout the thickness of the wall 40. The arcuate nature of the ribs 58 isbest seen in plan, as in FIG. 1B.

The end 50 defines a plurality of steps 60, each step 60 demarcated withits thickness relative to the clamping surface 48.

The base 52 defines a concave surface 62.

The sides 54 are planar and parallel.

The chamfers 56 have a plurality of equally spaced demarcations 64 andare shaped such that the wedge 24, when sectioned perpendicular to theclamping surface 48, has a profile which terminates in a portion thathas a shape and size that generally matches that of the wall 40.

With reference to FIG. 4 , the slider plates 26 are each planar, eachhave a slot 66 adapted to permit through passage of a hook 30 and aregenerally cruciform in shape. Each arm 68 of the cross is demarcatedwith its thickness relative to a base 70 of the plate. Again, base 70 isnot shown but will understood to be a planar surface on the underside.

The usefulness of the components will become evident upon review of thesequence of FIG. 5 through 13B. More particularly:

-   -   bedding material of, for example, thinset mortar, is placed as        in FIG. 5    -   a tile is placed on the bedding material as in FIG. 6    -   receivers 22 are disposed around the perimeter of the tile with        portions of the base elements disposed beneath tile, as shown in        phantom in FIG. 7    -   additional tiles are placed, such that (i) the hook elements 30        are disposed in the manner of tile spacers between pairs of        adjacent tiles in an array of the tiles laid in a bedding        material, thereby to provide for said substantially even        side-by-side spacing of the tiles; and (ii) the base elements 28        are disposed beneath the pairs of adjacent tiles, as in FIG. 8    -   slider plates 26 are fitted over the hook elements 30 such that        hook elements 30 protrude therethrough, as in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10    -   wedges 24 are pushed through the hooks 30, as indicated by        sequence of FIGS. 8-10 , with the pairs of tiles captured        between the slider plates 26 and the base elements 28 and        gripping surfaces 49 engaging the receivers 22 to resist        withdrawal of the wedges 24 until the bedding material has        cured.

It will be appreciated that interposing slider plates 26 between theclamping surfaces 48 and the tiles prior to placement of the wedges 24isolates the underlying tiles from frictional engagement with the wedges24 thereby avoiding translation movement. To restate: prior art wedgesystems, when tightened, can cause separation of the underlying tiles byvirtue of frictional forces; interposition of the slider plate 26, whichis locked against motion by engagement with the hook 30, resists this.

Of course, the wedges and wedge receivers can be used in a generallyconventional fashion that is, without slider plates. However, even inthis use, the components of the system have advantage. Moreparticularly, the system of the present invention is relatively easy touse without hand tools in comparison to known systems, even thatdisclosed in WO 2015/161366, incorporated by reference. Withoutintending to be bound by theory, it is believed that the reduced size ofthe gripping surface and the complementary shaping of the wall and theupper profile of the wedge may account for that ease of use. FIGS. 13Aand 13B are close ups showing the manner in which the wall is deformedin use; again, without intending to be bound by theory, it is believedthat the shape of the wedge and the shape of the wall cooperate suchthat the wedge relatively easily deforms the wall to a position whereatthe engagement of the wall in the ribs robustly resists withdrawal.

The system has even further advantage, including, without limitation:

-   -   the demarcated thicknesses on the slider plates and wedge ends        allow the slider plates and wedges to be used as tile spacers        when desired.    -   the demarcations along the chamfers facilitate clamping on the        tiles to a generally consistent pressure, which can have        advantage in terms of install quality.    -   the tapered feet of the base elements facilitate insertion of        the clips under the tiles and into the bedding material; the        ridges on the feet provide rigidity to the feet and maintain the        thickness of the feet, again, providing advantages in terms of        install quality.    -   the waisted portions of the legs facilitate removal of the clips        with a mallet after the bedding material has cured.

Whereas a specific embodiment is herein shown and described, variationsare possible. Accordingly, the invention should be understood to belimited only by the accompanying claims, purposively construed.

1. An improved wedge system of the type used with tiles and a bedding material such as mortar or adhesive for creating a tiled surface having an array of the tiles arranged in substantially coplanar side-by-side evenly spaced relation the wedge system being of the type including wedge receivers, each having a substantially planar base element and a resilient hook element extending from the base element in substantially perpendicular relation, the hook element having an aperture defined therein, each hook element, in use, being disposed in the manner of a tile spacer between a pair of adjacent tiles in an array of the tiles laid in the bedding material, thereby to provide for said substantially even side-by-side spacing of the tiles and the base element, in use, being disposed beneath the pair of adjacent tiles; and wedges, each having a clamping surface and a ribbed gripping surface orientated in angular relation to one another, each wedge, in use, extending through the aperture of a respective receiver such that: the pair of adjacent tiles are captured between the base element and the wedge, with the clamping surface of the wedge disposed in coplanar relation to the pair of adjacent tiles; the gripping surface grips the respective wedge receiver, to resist withdrawal of the wedge from the aperture and maintain the clamped engagement until the bedding material has cured, wherein the improvement comprises: the gripping surface of the wedge having a width less than the width of the wedge; and the hook element having a wall that defines one edge of the aperture and is disposed opposite to and presents towards the planar element in perpendicular relation, the wall being sized to fit between the ribs.
 2. The wedge system of claim 1, wherein the ribs are arcuate.
 3. The wedge system of claim 1, wherein the wall tapers in width as it extends away from the base portion.
 4. The wedge system of claim 1, wherein the wedge, when sectioned perpendicular to the clamping surface, has a profile which terminates in a portion that has the shape of the wall.
 5. The wedge system of claim 1, further comprising slider plates, each slider plate being planar and having a slot adapted to permit through passage of a hook. 